


The Art Of Breathing

by XtaticPearl



Series: Tumblr prompt works [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Panic Attacks, Past Relationship(s), Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 13:49:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17285255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XtaticPearl/pseuds/XtaticPearl
Summary: Tony had just wanted to have a nice date with his husband. Running into an ex and some old anxiety was not part of the plan.





	The Art Of Breathing

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Stony going out on a date: tony reaches the place early and is harassed by one of his exes while he waits for Steve to come. When Steve comes and sees this he gets Super protective

It's an art exhibition of all places and Tony knew that the group of college students a few feet away were _not_ checking out the gigantic vase he was pretending to see. He wasn't sure if they were subtly staring at him or his ass but he surely fit in with the pieces to be gawked on display.

Though, he wasn't sure he minded much. It was a pleasant day and he wasn't above a little self-satisfaction about getting a second glance sometimes. Even if he wasn't interested in giving others much of a second glance himself these days. Still, being married didn't change small amusements and he continued to pretend that he hadn't caught on to their looks.

A quick check of his watch showed him that he still had a good twenty minutes to kill and he bit back a sigh. Happy had suggested that they drop by the Tower after he landed but Tony had been high on adrenaline and probably a bit lovesick. The trip to Delhi had been sudden and his husband had been understanding as always but Tony had really been looking forward to their scheduled date. It had taken triple the time of reassurance from Steve that they could have the date when Tony came back for the genius to get on the plane.

Now that he was back and foolishly early, Tony was fighting boredom with every ticking second. He was pretty sure Fury was delaying Steve purposefully to have his own secret fun.

He was about to move forward to the next room when his text alert chimed and he pulled out his phone, walking as he read.

_Galaga Guy is not invited to the next Avengers anniversary._

He paused and smothered a grin when he knew exactly why Steve sent that. Enjoying the idea of finally knowing a bit of gossip before his husband, he quickly sent a reply

_He won't do anything. It's just a crush._

Tony snorted when a reply began forming two seconds after he saw that Steve had read. Fury was going to blow a nerve but Tony was confident that it was a worthy payback for the delay he was suffering on his date. 

_I'm not worried about him. It's Sam who'll do something._

Tony was just about to tease Steve for being a grouch about his best friends' love lives when he sensed someone standing in his way and looked up. The half-formed smile on his face froze when he registered the familiar dark haired figure in front of him. 

"Tony Stark," Sunset Bain recognized with a smooth tilt to her voice that sent his mind racing to a time he didn't want to remember, "What a wonderful surprise _this_ is. Of all the people to run into..."

He had been in difficult situations but there were a few where his brain wouldn't work with the rest of his body. Nothing would coordinate and he would be a spectator to his own jumbled mess struggling. It would be a leeching of control from his bones and Tony had long since understood that even his uncontrolled behaviour had to be calculated. It was his trademark, the curse of being a Stark and an Avenger. But the man inside him, the one wounded and paralysed in an older time - the Tony from before Mr. Stark and Iron Man didn't understand these things. That man just knew anxiety thudding beneath a reactor-held heart.

Seeing Sunset in front of him awakened that man and Tony had to use his last cells of sanity to stay in control.

"Ms. Bain," he replied because he wouldn't give her the satisfaction of equality, of camaraderie, "I wasn't looking. I'm actually in a hurry, hope you have a good evening."

"Oh we could," Sunset answered and before Tony could side-step her, her hand had hooked onto his arm easily, "I'm leaving back to L.A tomorrow and this is turning out to be a dreadfully boring last day. Now that you're here though - come on, Tony, it's been so long. Keep me company, darling."

Her other hand now daintily rested on his fore-arm and Tony could see a couple of people looking at them, but not noting his growing discomfort. They were both big names in the same industry and though Pepper had helped make sure that he didn't have to directly meet the CEO of Baintronics ever, the public wouldn't be made aware of that. It wouldn't matter either because he wasn't interested in letting anyone know _why_ he couldn't meet Sunset.

He wanted to throw up. She wouldn't let go and his mind had hit a glitch.

"I'm waiting for someone," he tried and he could hear the note of panic slipping into his tone but her hand was still holding his and it was just _wrong_. Why couldn't he move away? When would his feet - his lungs were heavy - wrong.

"Come on, baby, it's just me," Sunset smiled too close, too much and he had heard those words before. He remembered those words before all those times he hated doing things he did.

They turned around and Tony wanted to yell at himself, call the armour, do _anything_ but his feet moved when she guided him. He was a puppet again and he distantly wondered what those college students would do if he asked them for help.

He couldn't though and they wouldn't imagine it because he was Iron Man. He was supposed to be stronger. He was -

"Hey, Mr. Stark?" a young voice called out and they turned, thank God, to see one of the college students. It was a 4'8" or close girl with green hair and red-frame glasses. She didn't glance at Sunset and Tony found himself to be the sole focus of her sunny smile.

"Sorry, I got delayed," she said, vaguely gesturing behind her and looking sheepish, "I couldn't find the right room. You ready to go? Roe's waiting for us and I think they're getting hungrier by the minute."

Tony blinked and was about to open his mouth when his new friend made a show of just noticing Sunset.

"Oh, sorry, are you a friend of Mr. Stark?" she asked but Tony had seen Pepper use the same _you're not worth shit_ voice before and -

Oh. _Oh._

"No, I was just waiting for you," he latched on and moved an inch away from Sunset, "Honestly kid, I think I just had five ideas of new upgrades waiting for you, I could have just come with you. No problem though, you're here now so, chop chop. Let's go."

"I'm sorry," Sunset didn't sound the least bit sorry, "You are?"

"Busy," the girl replied, neatly getting between Tony and Sunset while giving the latter a curtly polite nod, "Enjoy the exhibits, bye!"

Tony didn't wait to look back and check how his ex was reacting, matching his young saviour's pace as they walked till they were in the clear. They stopped only when they reached the corner leading to the loo and Tony moved away, shaking.

"Who are you?" he asked and his voice had a tremor but the girl didn't flinch or back away, instead looking genuinely worried.

"I'm Luna, I'm sorry for that," she said, keeping her distance as Tony kept to the wall, "I recognise that situation though -"

"What situation," and okay yes, definitely hysteria but Tony needed to breathe.

"A bad one? Listen, I'm gonna give you some space, okay?" Luna said calmly before looking back, "I just - is there somebody I can call?"

Tony sank to the ground and things began to rush into white noise but he could sense that Luna had slipped out sometime into his spiral.

The next thing he registered when he began getting back to reality was a figure sitting cross-legged in front of him and he blinked hard.

"That's it," Steve continued like he had been doing for a while, "That's it, Tony, breathe again. You have time, sweetheart, it's alright."

Tony breathed, mimicking Steve's chest as it inhaled and exhaled air, again and again till he didn't want to explode anymore.

"When did you get here?" he asked once he was sure he could talk and Steve put his palm on the ground between them. Eyeing it and Steve's face, Tony sighed but shakily reached out to hold on. It helped though and he breathed again.

"Too late, I'd say," Steve answered quietly but Tony noted no bruised knuckles so they were fine. For now.

"I have way too many terrible exes," Tony declared on a bitter chuckle and exhaled, shooting his husband a soft smile, "Usually it's fine but I just - I think it was the jetlag."

They both knew that wasn't the case but Steve simply raised their joined hands to press gentle kisses onto every finger of Tony's.

"I missed you," he said simply and this, Tony thought, this pure sincerity and love was what he had come for. This was worth any wait and he tugged at their hands till Steve leaned over to slowly kiss the calm into Tony.

"I got rescued today," Tony whispered when they parted slightly and Steve smiled beautifully, like he thought that was the best part of his day.

"She's still guarding the entrance to the loo," Steve replied and Tony raised a brow, "Luna is one of the artists featured in the new collection here. The one you funded?"

"Is that why we're here? To see your nefarious sneaky good deeds done using my innocent name?" Tony asked and Steve kissed him again with a laugh.

"This one is all you. It's not my fault if you won't check what you're coming to see," Steve teased and Tony hooked an arm around his neck.

"I was more interested in the whom I was coming to see," Tony reminded and laughed at the blush Steve tried to hide by kissing him shut.

When they came back out, Tony saw Luna with her girlfriend as they moved from one art to another, resting his hand around his husband's arm himself. This was the evening he had looked forward to.

Finding out that Steve had personally escorted Sunset Bain out of the exhibition with a group of college students cheering him on? Well, that was just the sort of cherry on the top he liked in romantic endings.

**Author's Note:**

> Check out my Tumblr at suitofhumour.tumblr.com


End file.
